Agreed! I just tuned in on the tail end of a pass of FO-29 just now, and caught the end of what sounded like a nice long casual chat between VA7MG and KC9ICH, and worked VA7MG when they were done. Very clean signals (if a little loud), and no frantic speech or stepped on half-sentences. The nice thing about full duplex SSB is that it's very much like real speech - you can both talk over each other and hear what's going on, just like real life. You don't have an exchange on FO-29, you have conversations. And, at over 650 miles up, it has a footprint second only to AO-7, and even works in the dark!
Greg KO6TH
Date: Mon, 23 Feb 2009 22:12:55 -0800 To: amsat-bb@amsat.org From: dguimon1@san.rr.com Subject: [amsat-bb] Needless discussions re AO51
This is NOT a criticism of AO51. Use it, such as it is, and enjoy it, but try the following:
I was on FO29 with my friend, Leo, W7JPL, in AZ, and we had a nice 10 minute conversation, 100% readability on FO29. Much as we have been doing for over 25 years on FO29, and most of the other LEO'S and HEO'S. I spent the other 10 minutes of a 20 minute pass searching the pass band for other stations. And using minimal antennas....
Most of NW Mexico was visible, western half of the US and Canada, all of Alaska, and the NE portion of Russia, and there was NO ONE ELSE IN THE PASSBAND!!
The downlink of FO29 goes from 435.800 to 435.900, with a corresponding reversed uplink on 2 meters, 146.00 to 145.900. Room for dozens of ssb and or cw contacts.
I've instructed 14-18 year old hams in San Diego, and plus a copy of Marty Davidoff's RADIO AMATEUR'S SATELLITE MANUAL they operated easily....The manual is available from ARRL..
Try the manual, and if you have questions, I will gladly answer them, or tell you where to get the answer..
73, Dave, WB6LLO dguimon1@san.rr.com Disagree: I learn.... Pulling for P3E...
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